The most expensive province for groceries in South Africa at the end of 2024
Gauteng has emerged as the most expensive province in South Africa for groceries, according to data from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group.
The PMBEJD’s latest Household Food Basket report reveals significant disparities in food costs across South Africa’s three largest economic hubs, with Johannesburg standing out as the priciest city for essential groceries, surpassing both Durban and Cape Town by a considerable margin.
The report, based on data collected up to November 2024, tracks the price of a food basket comprising 44 essential items that reflect typical purchasing patterns of South African households.
The average cost of the basket nationally reached R5,361.04, marking a 0.9% annual increase—a relatively modest rise of R46.40 compared to the same period in 2023.
Encouragingly, this year’s increase in food prices is below the annual consumer price inflation (CPI) rate, which reached 2.9% in November 2024, up slightly from 2.8% in October.
Stats SA has noted that food inflation is now at its lowest level in 14 years, offering some relief to consumers.
However, the overall cost of food remains a concern, particularly in urban centres like Johannesburg, where prices continue to outpace the national average.
Johannesburg’s household food basket rose by R145.95 (2.7%) over the past year, reaching R5,556.44 in November 2024—R195.40 higher than the national average.
This positions Johannesburg as the most expensive metro in the country for groceries.
In contrast, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal’s largest city, experienced a more modest increase of 0.7%. The food basket in Durban climbed by R36.68, reaching R5,306.38, only slightly above the national average.
Cape Town, meanwhile, remains the cheapest of the three metros, with food prices increasing by just R12.04 (0.2%) year-on-year, bringing the cost of the basket to R5,260.43—R296 less than Johannesburg.
While food price inflation has slowed overall, not all items have seen relief.
The PMBEJD’s report shows that prices for 14 of the 44 tracked food items declined year-on-year, offering some reprieve for households.
Vegetables such as butternut and potatoes saw the most significant drops, with butternut prices falling by 36% and potatoes by 14%. These reductions have helped offset some of the pressures on overall grocery costs.
However, the majority of items in the food basket—30 out of 44—recorded price increases, with four items experiencing double-digit inflation over the year.
Notably, three of these products saw price hikes of 20% and over, reflecting ongoing pressures on certain food categories:
- Cremora: +23%
- Soup: +20%
- Sugar beans: +20%
The sharp rises in these categories underscore the ongoing pressure on certain food staples, which continues to strain household budgets, particularly among lower-income consumers.
The PMBEJD’s household food basket serves as a valuable indicator of food price trends, reflecting the lived reality of millions of South African families.
While the basket primarily focuses on lower-income households, the findings have broader implications for consumers across all income brackets, as grocery costs form a significant portion of household expenditure.
The stark regional disparities highlighted in the report emphasise the economic challenges facing South Africans, especially in Gauteng, where households are contending with higher living costs.
As Johannesburg maintains its position as the most expensive metro for groceries, families in the province face added pressure to make ends meet despite broader signs of easing inflation.
Meanwhile, the relatively stable prices in Cape Town and modest increases in Durban offer a small measure of relief to consumers in those cities.
Nonetheless, with food inflation remaining an ever-present challenge, grocery affordability will likely remain a central concern for South African households into 2025.
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